Folding-machine for collar-blanks, &amp;c.



No. 693,93I. Patented Feb. 25, |902. II. D. VIELE, E. M. WALKER@ T. D. ROBINSON.

FOLDING mAcHnIE Fon coLLAn BLANKS, ac.

(.Appliemtimx led lay 4, 1901.)

' 5 Sheets-Sheet I.

(llo Model.)

.SQ w fr mi Nonms PETERS co.. PHOTO-LITRO.. wAsHmuron. n. c.

No. 693,93I. Y Patented Feb. 25, 1902. R.' D. VIELE, E. M.' WALKER T. D. ROBINSON.

m. A, z

H d, @j f @www m nw/ .a 3 S, JL? K M W1 ./W d B /6 M M m 4 ohm@ L I L 4. m w w m.. B M 7 0 mm M o w H N a, J ,no o oo J m l x 1 r -..l -l :1-1 I-- x u. m .w G m L o F No. sssssl. Patented Feb.4 25, |902. n. n. VIELE, E. M. WALKER E T. u. nomson.

FULDING MACHINE FR COLLAR BLANKS, &c.

(Applhfation led Nay 4, 1901.)

5 Smets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

me Norms PETERS ed. Porauwa. WASHINGTON, n4 1:.y

5 Shets-Shdet 4.

' Patented Feb. 25, |902.

(Application led lay 4, 1991.)

-. 36 JRC R. D. VIELE, E. ILWALKERO. T. O. ROBINSON.

FOLDING MACHINE FOR COLLAR BLANKS, c.

Patented Feb. 25,1902.

R. D.V|E`ILE, E. M. WALKER 8v. T. D. ROBINSON. FOLDING MACHINE FUB COLLAR BLANKS, &.c.

(Application tiled my 4. 1901.)

um model.) L 5 sums-snm 5.:

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RANSOM D. VIELE AND EDWARD M. VALKER, OF TROY, AND THEODORE' D. ROBINSON, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK; SAID lVIELE AND YVALKER AS- SIGNORS OF ONE-SIXTH OF ENTIRE RIGHT TO SAID ROBINSON.l

FOLDING-MACHINE FOR COLLAR-BLANKS, 80G.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,931, dated February 25, 1902.

Application and May-i, 1901.

T @ZZ whom it may concern.- l Be it known that we, RANsoM D. VIELE and EDWARD M. WALKER,residingat Troy, county of Rensselaer, and THEoDoRn D. ROBINSON, residing at Albany, county of Albany, State of New York, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding-Machines, o'f which the following is a specification.

Theinventionrelates tosuchimprovements; and it consists of the novel construction and -combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed. Reference may be had to the accompany ing drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, Which form a part of this specification.

Similar characters refer to similar pal-ts in the several figures. n l zo Figure 1 of the drawings is a view in side elevation of our improved folding-machine. Fig. 2 is a viewin front elevation of the same with the web-feeding mechanism and several cams and cam-operated levers removed.` Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same, partlyinsection, with the web-feeding mechanism removed. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the folderplate, cutting-dies, and their operating-levers detached. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken diagonally through the converging pressing mechanism on the line 5 5 in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken on the broken line 6 G in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine, taken on the broken, line 7 7 in Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a top plan View of an intermittent gear connection between the main drive-shaft and the counter-shaft, which gear is shown in elevation in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a top plan vienr of the former detached and expanded, the former-stem and guide-rods being shown in horizontal section. Fig. 10 is a similar'view of the former contracted, the former-stem and T-head being removed. Fig. 1l is a similar View showing 45 the former contracted and the slide-plates for operating the former-plates removed. Fig. 12 is a Viewr in central vertical longitudinal section, partly in elevation, of the former mechanism. Fig. 13 is averticalsection taken 5o on the broken line 1,313 in Fig. '9 through one Serial No. 58,745. (No model.)

of the corner former plates and blocks. Fig. 14: is a vertical cross-section taken on the broken line l-l lat in Fig. 9 through two corner former-plates and an intermediate end formerlate. y p Our invention relates more particularlyl to the class of folding-machines adapted for inturning the edges of fabric blanks in the manufacture of collars and cuffs. v

The principal objects of the invention are to facilitate the folding operation, to increase the capacity of the machine, and to improve the product. We have shown our invention in its preferred form applied to Athe style of machine shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 664,912, dated January 1, 1901, to which patent reference may be had for a more complete understanding of the present invention.

1 is the frame of the machine, which is provided on its upper side With a well or depression 2, adapted to support al movable carriage or table 3, lnovably mounted therein bymeans `of the track-plates 4.- and tracks 5, whereby the carriage is capable of a universal movement in a horizontal plane, substantially as described in said patent. This carriage is considerably elongated and provided with a top', which forms the bed or table for the 8o folding and severalpressing operations.

The folder may be of any known construction, that shown being in the form of a unit-` ary plate 6, which extends across the well in the top of the machine, and has its ends connected with the frame of the machine, as by studs 8, projecting upwardly from said frame and fitting suitable apertures 9, formed in the folderplate, whereby said plate is maintained in fixed relation to the frame of the 9o machine as regards lateral movement. This folder-plate is adapted torest normally upon the bed of the carriage or an interposed apron 10. Any known constructionV of former may be employed.

Ve have shown a preferred construction of former 1l, which Will be hereinafter more particularly described. This former is mounted upon a stem 12, adapted to reciprocate in a slideway 13 in the frame 14., erected from roo the carriage and movable therewith. Reciprocating movements may be imparted to the former-stem in any known manner to move the former toward and from the bed. The folding operation is accomplished by forcing a fabric blank somewhat larger than the size of the former down through the aperture in the folder-plate by causing the former to descend upon said blankV and tightly hold the body of the blank down upon the bed of the carriage, the carriage being given a universal movement upon its track-supports, whereby the several edges of the former are successively carried beneath the folder-plate,there by forcing the edges of the blank down upon the former and causing the blank to assume a folded form similar to that of the former. Such a universal movement may be imparted to the carriage in the manner shown and described in said patent, as by the cam 15, xed upon the vertical shaft 16, and engageable with the several follower-rollers 17 on the carriage, the shaft 16 being provided With a bevel-gear 18, engaged by a similar gear 19 on the horizontal shaft 20, substantially as shown in said patent.

As a preferred construction of former We employ the mechanism shown in detail in Figs. 9 to 14, inclusive. vSuch former isof the expansible and contractible type and comprises a plurality of former-plates severally mounted upon slide-blocks movable in slideways in the former-head, with the necessary mechanism for causing expanding and contractin g movements of said blocks and plates.

We have shown a formerexpansible and contractible on all four sides and adapted for folding an all-round cuff, as is more particularly shown in Figs. 9, 10, and l1. These former-plates comprisel'four corner-plates 2l and four side plates 22, a side plate being located between each two corner-plates. The corner-platesare severally mounted upon slide-blocks 23, movable in slideways 24 in the former-head 25, and the side plates upon slide-blocks 2G, movable in slideways 27 in said former-head. The several slideways for the corner former-blocks 23 extend inwardly into the'former-head in lines approximately bisecting the respective corners, While the slideways for the side plates extend inwardly in lines at right angles to and approximately bisecting the respective sides of the former.

The several slideways are also formed at oblique angles to the bottom face of the former and to the surface of the bed of the machine with which the former is adapted to coperate in the folding operation. Slide movements are imparted to the several formerblocks by means of a pair of slide-plates 28, mounted upon the upper side of the formerhead and adapted to engage posts or pins projecting upwardly from the respective formerblocks through slots 29 in the former-head, which slots are elongated to permit movements of such pins in the respective lines of movement ot' the several plates. Slide movements may be imparted to these slide-plates 28 in any known manner, said plates being capable 'of movements longitudinally of the former-head.

As shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 1l, the pins or posts 30, connected with the side formerblocks on the shorter sides or ends of the former,occupy close-fittingapertures 3lin the slide-plates 28, while the pins 32, connected with the side former-blocks on the longer sides of the former, occupy diagonal slots 33 in said plates, whereby the movements of said slideplates 28 longitudinally of the former impart to said pins 32 and their connected formerblocks and side former-plates movements in lines transversely of the former. The pins 34, connected with the respective corner formerblocks,occupy transverse slots 35in said slideplates, whereby movements of the slide-plates cause said pins 34: to travel along their respective slots 29 in the former-head, which slots extend in lines running diagonally ofthe Y head. By operating the slide-plates 28 it will thus be seen that the former can be contracted by withdrawing the eight former-blocks inwardly in their slideways and can be expanded by forcing said blocks outwardly,`the former being shown expanded in Fig. 9 and contracted in FigsjlO and 11. expanding and contracting movement of the several former-plates, it is necessaryto provide for the overlapping ot' one plate by a neighboring plate. This we provide for by extending the slideways 27 for the side formerblocks at a greater angle relatively to the face of the former than the slideways 24 for the corner former-blocks, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, and by slightly elongating at their outer ends 36, lingitudinally of the former,A

the slots 35 for the corner former-pins 34, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, thereby providing for lost motion at the beginning of the contracting and at the end of the expanding movement of the former. In contracting the former the side plates thus begin their inward and upward movementin advance of the corner-plates, which advance movement, by reason of the great angle of'upward inclination ot' the slideways for the side former-blocks, causes the several side forming-plates to be lifted above the plane of the neighboring corner-plates, so that when the corner-.plates begin their inward and upward movement they can freely pass beneath the neighboring side plates. The advanced position thus secured for the side plates, as well as the differencein the angles of the slideways,willenable the side plates to remain in advance of the corner-plates throughout the contracting operation.

In expanding the former the corner folderplates'rea'ch their fully-expanded position in advance of the side plates, the lost motion permittedby the slots 36 permitting the corner-plates to remain at rest during the iinal expanding movement of the side plates. This construction of former permits the form- To permit of this l ICO IIO

er-plates to be beveled and overlapped one by another on their engaging edges when expanded, while the plates occupy a common plane, as shown in Fig. 14. The several side former-plates are thus beveled on the under side along the edges which contact with the neighboring corner-plates, such edges of the corner-plates being beveled on their upper side, as shown.

As a means for imparting movements to the slide-plates 28 we connect the same by a pair of ltoggle-links 37 with a T-head 38 on the former-stem 12, which headA contains bearings for the rods 40, extending upwardly from the former-head through friction-slideways 41 in the frame 14 erected from the carriage 3. Movement of the sliderods 40 in either direction is resisted by the friction-slideways 41, so that an upward movement of the formerstem causes an upward pullupon the togglelinks ,37, which draws the slide-plates 28 inwardly toward each other, while a downward movement of said stem forces the T-head 38 into closer proximity to the former-head, causing the slide-plates28 to be forced outwardly. Further movement of the stem after the former has thus been contracted or expanded by a movement of the slide-plates 28 will cause said slide-rods 40 to be forced longitudinally in their slideways, causing the former to partake of the movement of the formerstem to move the former toward or from the bed of the machine. It will thus be seen that the former-head will not be lifted from the bed of the machine until the former has been contracted and the former-plates withdrawn from the folded edges of the blank and that the former will be fully. expanded before it again descends upon the bed.

By expanding the several slideways for the former-blocks at oblique angles relatively to the face of the former we are able to secure a large area of bottom-surface of the formerhead adapted to remain in contact with the folded blank and support the same upon the bed during the contracting movement of the former, thereby preventing any disarrangement of the blank by the withdrawal of the former-plates from its several folded edges.

Fabric blanks may be supplied to the machine in any known manner, as by, hand. lVe prefer, however, to automatically cut the blanks from a web of fabric supplied to the machine and automatically wdeliver the cut blanks to the folding mechanism. As a means for cutting the blanks, we provide a pair of hollow cutting-dies 42 and 43, the lower die' 42 being preferably fixed upon or integral with the folder-plate 6 and provided with upwardly-projecting posts 44, which pass through apertures in the upper die 43 and serve to guide the same in the cutting movement. These dies may be operated in any known manner;V but we prefer to employ a plurality of operating-levers, each f ulcrumed upon one of the die members and engageable with the other, whereby the greater part of the strain due to the cutting movement is confined to the die structures themselves.

We have shown four such levers 45, each fulcrumed upon the upper end of one of the posts 44, projecting from the lower die 42 and engageable at 46, near its fulcrum, with the upper surface of the upper die 43. These levers are connected in pairs at their upper end by yokes 46, which yokes are connected by pitman-rods 47 with the respective cranks 48, fixed upon the opposite ends of shaft 49 on opposite sides of the machine. The shaft 49 is operated by means of a gear 50, fixed thereon Aand connected by an intermediate gear 5l with a gear 52, fixed upon the main driveshaft 53. ward movementof the same levers 45 which engage the overhanging hooks 54 on the upper die. A web or a plurality of webs of fabric, as desired, is fed to and between lthe dies by means of feed-rollers located on opposite sides of the dies. On the forward side of the dies we have shown a pair of friction feedrollers 55 and 56, adapted to receive between them the webs of fabric 39 and on the rearward side of the dies a take-up feed-roll 57, upon which the skeleton web from which the blanks have been cut is wound up after passing around thev friction feed-roll 58, upon which the take-up roll rests by gravity. The take-up roll is'mounted in vertically-slotted bearings 59, which provide for upward movement of the take-up roll as the take-up fabric accumulates thereupon. The feed-rolls55 and 56 are operated by means of the ratchet 60, fixed upon the journal of one of said rolls and adapted to be operated bythe pawl 61, carried by the angle-lever 62, connectedby link 63 with one end of the lever 64, fulcrumed upon the frame of the machine, and provided on its other end with a follower-pin fitting the camgroove 65 in the outer face of the cam-disk 66, fixed upon the shaft 49. Feed movements are-imparted to the feed-roll 58 of the takeup mechanism by means of a pinion 67, fixed upon the journal of said rolland engaged by a gear 68, having `fixed thereto a ratchet 69, adapted to be operated by a pawl onthe lever 7l, connected by link 72 with the pawlcarrying lever 62, whereby said ratchets are simultaneously operated.

r The former-supporting mechanism is so constructed and arranged that the former passes through the hollow cutting-dies toward and from the bed. As a means forimparting such movement to the former we have shown a segment- 73, fulcrumed at 74 upon the former slideway-frame 14, said segment being connected by chains or straps 75 with upperand lower portions of the former-stem, as shown in Fig. 2. This segment is provided with an outwardly-projecting arm 76, connected by link 77 with the outer end of a lever 78, fulcrumed at 79 on the frame of the machine and provided intermediately of its ends with a follower-pin adapted to tit the cam-groove 80 in the cam-diskl 81, Vfixed upon the main The upper die is raised by the up-V IOO IIO

parts.

' the folding operation, and feed movement is imparted to the web of fabric only when the dies are separated and the former is elevated above the plane of said web.

We prefer to remove the folded blank after the former has been withdrawn therefrom by separating the folder-plate from the bed a sufficient distance to permit the blank to be fed laterally from between such separated As a means for thus raising the folderplate 6 from the bed we have shown said plate connected by links 82 with the bell-crank levers 83, fnlcrumed at 84 upon the frame of the machine and connected by link 85 to operate in unison. One of these bell-crank levers is connected by link 86 with an intermediate portion of lever 87, fulerumed at one end at 88 on the frame of the machine and provided at its other end with a follower-pin which fits a cam-groove 89 in the inner face of the cam-disk 6h, said cam-groove being indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The rotation of the shaft 49 will thus cause the folderplate to be raised from the bed, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7, leaving a space between said plate and bed through which the blanks may be fed out in any known manner. The folder-plate may be forced against the bed during the folding operation either by means of said cam-operated mechanism or by the springs 90, inclosing the several pins 8 and bearing upon the upper surface of the folder-plate.

As a means for feeding the blanks along the bed from beneath the folder-plate we have shown an endless belt or apron 10 passing over the bed and over the guide-rollers 92, mounted in bearings upon the carriage 3 to move therewith and over the guide-roll 93 and friction feed-roll 94, rotary in bearings in the frame of the machine. Intermittent feed movements are imparted to the apron through the friction-roll 91 by means of a pinion 95, fixed upon the journal of said roll exteriorly of the frame of the machine, said pinion engaging a gear 96, fixed to a pinion 97 in engagement with a gear 9 8, xed to a ratchet 99, adapted to be operated bya pawl 100 on the lever 101, said lever being connected by link 102 with the lever 103, fulcrumed at 101 upon the frame of the machine and provided with a follower-pin adapted to fit the cam-groove 105 in the outer face of the cam-disk 106, fixed upon the shaft 107, connected by gear 108 with a gear 52 on the main drive-shaft.

In folding blanks of fabric in the manufacture of collars, cuffs, and the like by machines it has been found difficult to largely increase the speed or' the capacity of the machine on account of the limitation due to the fact that a comparatively long exposure of the folded edge of the blank to the pressing mechanism is found necessary in order to securely fix the fold. So long as the same mechanism is employed for both inturning and pressing the edge of the blank the former and folder mechanisms are practically idle during the time of the pressing operation.

An important feature of our present in vention consists in providing for pressing the folded edges of the blanks by mechanism 'separate from the folding mechanism, whereby we are enabled to largely increase the speed of operation of the former and folding mechanisms, and thus increase the capacity of the machine. In thus providing for a more rapid movement of the parts in performing the folding operation it is desirable to have the folder-plate 6 bear upon the bed with only sufficient force to secure the desired formation of the fold-line along the edge of the blank, which pressure can be regulated by means of the springs 90. The fold thus formed is not securely fixed in the fabric, and we prefer to subject the blanks so folded to a novel form of pressing mechanism which constitutes a feature of our` invention and comprises one or more folder-plates with means for guiding said plate or plates obliquely toward and from the bed. We have shown four of such presser-plates 109, each having an upwardly-projecting flange 110, fitting a dovetailed slideway 111 in the slideway-frame 112, fixed upon the posts 113, erected from the frame of the machine. These slideways converge toward each other and toward the bed of the machine, as shown. These slideways preferably extend diagonally of the bed, whereby when the folded blank is placed upon the bed in a position centrally of and beneath said converging pressing mechanism the several plates upon being forced inwardly along their slideways will engage the folded edges of the blank with an inward and downward movement, which prevents disarrangement of such edge, and thus fixes the fold therein along the fold-line defined by the folding operation. As a means for operating this converging pressing mechanism we provide each of the folder-plates with a pin 114, projecting upwardly through elongatedl slots 115 in the slideway-frame and fitting, respectively, carnslots 116 in the cam disk 117, rotatively mounted upon and centrally of the slidewayframe. Reciprocating partial rotary movements are imparted to said disk through the link 118, connectedwith one arm of the bellcrank lever 119, the other arm of said lever being connected by link 120 with an intermediate portion of the lever 121, fulcrumed at one end at 122 upon the frame of the machine and provided at its other end with a follower-pin tting a cam-groove 123 in the inner face of the cam-disk 81. The throw of IOO IIC

the pawl 100 is such that the feed movement imparted to the apron is sufficient to carry a blank from beneath the folding mechanism to a central position beneath the converging pressing mechanism. This con verging pressing mechanism sufliciently fixes the fold in the edge of the fabric so that such fold can be safely subjected to direct downward pressure, and we have shown means for still further pressing each blank, comprising a flat presser-plate 124, movable toward and from the bed upon the guide-pins 125 and yieldingly forced toward the bed by the springs 126, inclosing said pins and bearing upon the upper side of the plate. This plate may be raised from the bed in any known manner to permit the insertion of blanks between theA bed and plate, as by connecting said plate by links 129 with bell-crank levers 130, fulcrumed at 131 upon the frame of the machine and connected by link 133 to operate in unison, one of said levers being connected by a link with an intermediate portion of the lever 121, which is operated bythe cam-disk 81 in the manner above described. This presser-plate 124 is preferably of a length somewhat greater than the length of feed movement of the apron and so arranged that the feed movement of the apron in the operation of the machine will leave a plurality of blanks always beneath said plate. Each plate will thus be subjected to the pressing operation during two intervals of engagement of the plate with the bed, and by further elongating the plate and bed the blanks can be subjected to as many pressing operations as is desirable or necessary to secure the desired fixture of fold in the fabric blank. It will thus be seen that each blank after being folded is carried by the feed-apron to the position shown at 134 beneath the converging pressing mechanism, where it is subjected to pressure, is then carried beneath the iiat presser-.plate 124 to the position shown at 135, where it is again subjected to pressure, and is then carried to a dier'ent position at 136 beneath said plate, where it is again subjected to' pressure, the several positions of the blanks being shown in Fig.` 7 and indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

Any desired number of converging presser mechanisms may be employed with or without the flat presser-plate, while, if desired, the blanks can be fed directly from the folder to a position beneath the iiat presser-plate, the converging pressing mechanism being omitted.

The blanks after the final pressing operation are delivered by the feed movement of the apron upon the shelf or table 137.

The comparatively long stretch of apron between the several guide-rollers- 92 and the .guide-roller 93 and feed-roll 94 permits that portion of the apron which rests upon the bed to partake of the movement of the bed, while that part of the apron which engages the guide-roll 92 and feed-roll remains approximately stationary.

The shaft 20, which is connected with shaft 16 to operato the carriage, is operated from the main drive-shaft by means-of a pinion y 138, adapted to engage a segmental gear 139, fixed upon said main drive-shaft, whereby movements are imparted to the carriage during one half-rotation of the main drive-shaft, while the carriage remains idle during the other half-rotation thereof.

It will be understood that at the end of each folding movement the carriage and the former carried thereby are restored to a definite position relatively to the folder-plate, and to prevent their displacement from such position during the interval of rest of the carriage we provide the pinion 138 with an olfsetting concave shoe 140, adapted to engage vand bear upon a lateral offsetting semicircular liange 141 on the segmental gear 139, thereby preventing a rotary movement of said'pinion. The flange 141 terminates approximately at the points on said segmental gear where the teeth begin, so that the untianged portion of said segmental gear is brought opposite the shoe 140 just as the pinion is broughtv into mesh with said teeth, permitting the pinion to rotate. i

The pressing, folding, and apron-feeding devices are so timed that the folder-plate and several presser-plates are all raised from the bed during the feed movement of the apron, j

Whichfeed movement may occur either immediately after the withdrawal of the former from the folded blankor just in advance of the final return movement of the former to the bed.

The bed may be, if desired, heated in any known manner, as by gas-burners 142. WhenA a high degree of heat is employed, vthe feedapron is preferably made of asbestos' or other incombustible material.

Each of the shafts 49 and 53 extends en` tirely through the machine, the shaft 53 be- IOO IIO

ing provided with belt-pulleys 141 and the levers S7 and'121 with their operating camdisks 66 and 81, and the several link-and-lever connections between said levers and the folder-plate 6 and pressure-plate 124 are duplicated on opposite sides of the machine.

Our invention further comprises means for providing blanks with printed numbers or letters; also, where blanks of a plurality of thicknesses of fabric are desired means for securing said plies together by paste to prevent their relative disarrangemeni. The printing mechanism may be of any known form adapted to operatein combination with other elements of the machine. We have shown the printing4 mechanism engageable with the web o'f fabric forwardly of the cutting-dies, between said dies and the feed-rolls 55 and 56, and as a preferred form of such mechanism we have shown a known form of compound lever-and-link movementfor moving the printing form or stamp to and fro between the web and inking device. As shown in Fig 7, the printing stamp or form 142 is fixed upon the upper end of the lever 143, fulcrumed intermediately of its ends at 144 upon the swinging end of the lever 145, the other end of which lever is fulcrumed at 146 upon the bracket 147,erected from the frame of the machine. The lever 143 is also fulcrumed at its lower end upon the swinging end of link 148, having its other end pivotally connected with a fixed support 149. The lever 145 is connected intermediately of its ends with a link 150, having its lower end pivotally connected with the lever 151, fulcrumed at 152 upon the frame of the machine and provided with a follower-pin 'adapted to fit a camgroove 153 in the side face of gear 50. When the link 150 is in a lowered position, the several levers and links occupy the position shown by solid lines in Fig. 7, the printing form or stamp resting against the inking-pad 154, mounted upon the bracket 147. `When the link 150 is forced upwardly by the camoperated lever 151, the parts are operated to first move thestamp away from the inkingpad and then upwardly against the underside of the web 39, forcing the same upwardly against the overhanging plate or platen 155, supported by uprights 156, erected from the frame of the machine. The cam-groove 153 is so formed that the printing mechanism is operated during intervals between successive feed movements of the web. We have shown in said Fig. 7 pasting mechanism in the form of a hollow roll 157, containing a supply of paste 15S and interposed between the feed-rolls 55 and 56 and a pair of guide-rolls 159, between which the webs pass before reaching the pasteroll. The paste-roll is adapted to be rotated by the feed movements of the web, which engages its periphery, and the shell ol' said roll is provided with perforations 160, through which the paste escapes from the interior of the roll and is applied to such web. The two webs are forced tightly together in passing the pressure feed-rolls 55 and 56, causing them to adhere securely together during the subsequent operations of the machine. The paste-roll andvguide-rolls 159 are rotatively supported in bearings in uprights erected from the bracket 161, fixed to the frame of the machine.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi- 1. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed, and a former subtended by and cooperative with said bed, said bed and former being adapted to clamp between them a blank during the folding operation; of means for inturning the edge of a blank upon the former; and blank-cutting mechanism.

2. In a foldingmachine, the combination with blank-cutting mechanism; of a bed, a former subtended by and coperative with said bed, said bed and former being adapted to clamp between them a blank during the folding operation; a folder; and means for successively operating said cutting and folding mechanisms.

3. In a folding-machine, the combination with blank-cutting mechanism; and means for feeding a web of fabric to said cutting mechanism; of a bed; a former adapted to rest upon said bed and having a former-plate, means for folding the edge of a blank over upon said former-plate; and means for operating said blank cutting and folding mechanisms.

4. In a folding-machine, the combination with a pair of hollow blank-cutting dies; means for operating the dies; and a bed eX- tending beneath the die-aperture; of a former movable through said hollow dies toward and from the bed and cooperating with a subiending portion thereof; and a folder coperative with said former.

5. In a folding-machine, the combination with a pair of hollow blank-cutting dies; means for operating the dies and a bed extending beneath the die-aperture; of a former movable through said hollow dies toward and from a subtending portion of the bed; means for feeding a web of fabric between said dies; and a folder coperative with said former.

G. In a folding-machine, the combination with blank-cutting mechanism and mechanism for feeding a web of fabric to said cutting mechanism; of a bed; a former subtended by and coperative with said bed, and having a former-plate adapted to rest thereupon; means for folding the edge of a blank over upon said former-plate; and means for operating said feeding, cutting, and folding mechanisms successively.

7. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed; a pair of hollow dies; means for operating the dies; web-feeding rolls on opposite sides of said dies; and means for imparting intermittent movements to said rolls; of a former movable through said hollow dies toward and from said bed; a folder coperative with said former; and means for moving the former toward and from the bed in the intervals between successive feed movements of said rolls.

S. In a foldingmachine, the combination with a bed, a former; and a folder; of a pair of blank-cutting dies; and die-operating levers, each pivotally connected with one, and engageable with the other, of said dies, substantially as described.

9. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed; a former; and a folder; of blankcutting mechanism mounted upon said folder.

10. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed; a former; a folder; `and means for producing a relative movement between said bed and folder; of means for automatically feeding a blank laterally between said folder and bed when separated one from the other.

11. In a folding-machine, the combination IOO IIO

with a bed; a former; a folder; and means for producing a relative movement ybet-Ween said bed and folder; of a blank-carrier movable laterally in the space between said folder and bed when separated; and means for automatically moving said carrier laterally between said bed and folder, when separated, substantially as described.

12. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed; a former; a folder; and means for producing a relative movement between said bed and folder; of an endless apron passing between said bed and folder; and means for producing feed movements of said apron.

13. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed, blank cutting mechanism; a former; means for moving the former toward and from the bed; a folder; means for producing a relative lateral movement between said former and folder; and means for producing a relative movement between said folder and bed; of ablank-feeding apron passing between said bed and folder; and means for imparting feed movements to said apron.

14. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed; a pair of hollow, blank-cutting dies; a former movable through said hollow dies toward and from the bed; means for laterally moving said former or folder, one relatively to the other; and means for moving said folder or bed7 one toward and from the other; of a blank-feeding apron passing between said bed and folder; and means for im-` parting feed movements to the apron.

15. In a folding-machine, the combination with mechanism for inturning the edge of a blank; of pressing mechanism adapted to simultaneously engage a plurality of blanks; and means for feeding the folded blankssuccessively to dierent positions exposed to the action of said pressing mechanism.

16. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed; of separate blank-folding and blank-pressing mechanisms cooperative with different portions of said bed, and reciprocatory toward and from the same; and a carrier for transferring folded blanks to the pressing mechanism.

17. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed and separate blank-folding and blank-pressingmechanisms; of a blank-carrying apron passing over said bed and superposed thereon beneath both said folding and pressing mechanisms; and means for imparting feed movements to said apron.

18. In a folding-machine, the combination with blank-cutting mechanism; vof separate blank-folding and blankpressing mechanisms; and means for placing, and maintaining during the folding operation, a cut blank in position to be folded, and afterward delivering the folded blank to the pressing mechanism.

19. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a bed; of a blank-pressing plate; a guideway for said plate inclined rela- V tively to the plane of the bed; and means for moving said plate along said inclined guide- Way toward and from the bed, substantially as described.

20. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a bed; of a plurality of blank-pressin g plates; guideways for the several plates convergent toward each other and toward the bed; and means for moving the several plates along their respective guideways.

21. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed; and a folder; of a former-head provided with slideways in fixed relation to each other; slide-blocks movable in said slideways; block-supported expansible and contractible plates located in a common plane when expanded, and means for causing a contractile movement of one of said blocks and plates in advance of another of said blocks and plates.

22. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed; and a folder; of a former comprising a former-head provided with a slideway inclined relatively to the plane of the face of the former; a former-block movable in said slideway, and a former-plate connected with said block.

23. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed; and a folder; of a former comprising a former-head provided with a plurality of slideways, one inclined relatively to another and tothe face of the former; formerplates,and plate-supportingslide-blocks movable in said slideways; and means for moving said blocks.

24. In a machine of the class described, the combination with blank-cutting mechanism; and means for feeding thereto a plurality of webs of. fabric, one superposed upon another; of pasting mechanism located in the path of one of said webs of fabric; a bed; -a former subtended by and coperativewith said bed and a folder.

25. In a machine of the class described, the combination with blank-cutting mechanism; means for feeding thereto a plurality ofwebs of fabric, one superposed upon another; and means for folding the cut blanks; of pasting mechanism located in the path of one of said webs; and means for maintaining said webs separated from each other during the pasting operation.

26. In a machine of the class described, the combination with blank-cutting mechanism; and means for feeding thereto a plurality of webs of fabric superposed one upon another; of pasting mechanism located in the path of one of said webs; means for maintaining said webs separated from each other during the pasting operation; and a pair of pressure-rolls on opposite sides of the path of said webs between said pasting mechanism and cutting mechanism.

27. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a bed; a former subtend- IOO LII

combination with blank-cutting mechanism*7 and mechanism for feeding thereto a web of fabric; of printing mechanism engagcable with said web, means for alternately operating said web feeding and printing mechanisms; a bed; a former subtended by and cooperative with said bed; and a folder.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands this lst day of May, 1901.

RANSOM D. VIELE. EDWARD M. WALKER. THEODORE D. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

E. M. OREILLY, FRANK C. CURTIS. 

